Inhibitory action of nociceptin on spinal dorsal horn neurones of the rat, in vivo

Abstract

Intrathecally administered nociceptin (5, 50, 225 μg) dose-relatedly inhibited the C-fibre evoked wind-up and post-discharge of dorsal horn neurones, but not the baseline C-fibre evoked responses. Spinal naloxone 50 μg, but not 10 μg, reversed the effects of nociceptin. Thus the antinociceptive role of nociceptin in the spinal cord differs from that of classical opioids.